Suki
by Linali
Summary: Suki's a friend of Misao's, with an unknown past and a desire to help. *update, Ch.3*
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own the show, unfortunately...but I wish I did *daydreams*of course, if I did I would have a tough time deciding whether I liked Sano or Soujirou better...I mean, I love them both! *wanders off* oh right! the fic!  
  
Note: You can flame me all you want 'cause I jus' won't pay you any mind. Pairings: Kenshin and Kaoru (okay, duh) Many pairings later on, almost all involving OCs  
  
It was a bright, sunny day outside...but that was outside. Inside it was chaos. Suki Jade smiled softly as the members of the Oniwaban group and the members of the Kamiya Kachime Dojo bustled about doing their usual morning business. She was doing her own morning routine, that of sweeping the floors as she waited for breakfast to finish cooking. She was glad that they were all here, and all together. For the most part everyone was getting along as well, although Megumi-dono had thrown a pot at Sagara-san earlier that morning. She supposed that perhaps she oughtn't have woken the woman up yet, but breakfast was almost ready. Of course, it didn't help that Sagara-san and Myojin-san had been making a lot of noise just then, that probably contributed to Megumi-dono's bad mood. She finished sweeping just in time, because, as she looked down at the food, she realized it was finished.   
  
"Breakfast everyone!" she cried. There was a mad rush for the kitchen as everyone came to collect their meals, and she went about pouring tea for them as they sat down at the breakfast table. It was a beautiful life, really, one she enjoyed much more than she really felt she ought to have. Of course, the denizens of the Kamiya Kachime Dojo weren't always around. They lived in Tokyo and only came to visit once or twice a year when they could afford it and had the time. She was glad that she got to see them even so often, however. Suddenly, she heard a soft banging on the door, but, before she could get to it, Misao-dono had leaped to her feet and darted for it,  
  
"Aoshi-sa..." she started, expecting to see her beloved friend. She stopped short, however,   
"Aiiiiieeee!" she cried, trying to close the door.   
  
Suki walked towards it, noticing as she looked out the window that Himura-san was the one keeping the door open, and behind him was the strangest looking boy she had ever seen in her life. Well, he would have been normal looking, actually, if it weren't for the odd smile that seemed as though it never left his lips but never touched his eyes. It was sad, really, and reminded her vaguely of Aoshi-san, the look in his eyes.   
  
"Misao-dono!" Himura-san cried, attempting to push the door open,  
"Seta-san is a rurouni like me now, he won't hurt anyone."  
Misao-dono glared at Himura-san, but let go of the door, which caused him to fall on his face. He sat up, rubbing the bump on his head,  
"Oro?" he said, then collected himself, "Thank you, Misao-dono. Now, I've got to be off again."   
Suki's friend glared at the boy, Seta-san, Himura-san had called him, and pulled out her kunai,  
  
"Listen, Tenken," she threatened, "If you hurt anyone at the Aoiya, I swear you won't live to regret it."   
The boy merely smiled, nodding his acceptence,  
'Of course, Misao-dono," he said, "I wouldn't want to hurt anyone. Himura-san was telling the truth, I'm a rurouni now."   
  
Misao snorted ungracefully, and then a panicked look crossed her face,  
"Aieeee!" she cried, pushing past the ex-Tenken,  
"Aoshi-sama!"  
  
Suki nearly choked trying to hold back her laughter. Misao must have just realized that he wasn't there for breakfast yet and gone to fetch him. Uncomplaining, the girl poured tea for a tall man with spiky brown hair,  
"Good Morning, Sanosuke-san," she said softly, smiling a bit. The man merely grunted, rubbing the sore spot on his head from where Megumi-dono had hit him with a pot for disturbing her work. She walked over to Seta-sama and smiled again,  
  
"Would you like to join us for breakfast?" she asked softly. The boy, for he could not be much older than herself or Misao, nodded, the smile never leaving his lips, and she led him to the table, bringing him a plate and pouring tea for him,  
"I'm sure Misao-dono will allow you to stay the night. I'll prepare you a room...the one next to Sanosuke-san should do just fine."   
Quickly, she hurried off although she heard Seta-sama ask behind her,  
"Is she the maid?"   
  
She also heard Sanosuke-san chuckle,  
"No, not really...she just likes to play mother for us all."   
Smiling, Suki continued to the room next to Sanosuke-san's. After she had set it up she went into Sanosuke-san's room. She could swear the man never cleaned.   
"Hey!" she heard a shout and left the room, peering over at Sanosuke-san 


	2. Missing

Author's note: Yes, I know it's still boring, but it really will get better, I promise.   
  
~Suki~  
  
"Yes, Sanosuke-san?" she asked calmly, pattering further back into the room where everyone was eating.   
  
Sanosuk-san stood up.  
"What are you doing in my room?" he demanded.  
  
She could feel her face starting to heat. He always had that effect on her,   
"Cleaning it," she responded.   
  
The man eyed her rather suspiciously,   
"Who said you could do that?"   
  
Suki said nothing. She couldn't anymore. Instead, she merely pointed to Misao-dono, who pumped a fist into the air,   
"I sure did! Suki can do whatever she wants around here. She's a member of the Oniwaban group!"   
Sanosuke-san looked as though he were about to protest, but Suki quickly ducked back into his room.   
  
That night, after she had eaten and finished cleaning the house she checked on Seta-san. He was awake, though barely and she just waved in greeting,   
"I wanted to make sure you were comfortable, Seta-san." she said softly. He smiled still,   
"Oh I'm just fine, Suki-dono." he said cheerfully, "Don't worry about me!"   
  
She smiled, bowing,   
"That is good to hear Seta-san." she said, "I will leave you to your studies now."   
  
He nodded, bowing his head respectfully to her, and she left him to his own devices. As she closed his door she slowly opened the door next to his in her nightly routine of checking on Sanosuke-san. However, the ex-street tough was nowhere to be found.   
  
She gasped, surprised to see his bed empty. He had never just disappeared like that before. Always he told them beforehand if he was going somewhere and wouldn't be back until late.   
  
Not that it wasn't late anyways. She always stayed up until everyone else had gone to sleep and had been taken care of.   
  
Unknown to her, her gasp had attracted the attention of one other person.   
  
She turned around to start her search for Sanosuke-san, but found herself face to chest with the tallest and most muscular man she had ever met.   
"Hiko-san." she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, blushed, and looked at the ground,   
"I was doing my nightly bed-checks."   
  
He nodded gruffly,   
"Looks like Sagara's gone," he replied. She nodded, and they stood in silence for a moment, not really having anything to say to each other.   
  
That moment allowed her time to think on Sanosuke-san and his disappearance, and she came to the conclusion that she knew where Sanosuke-san had gone.   
  
Murmuring apologies, she passed by Hiko-san and headed out. 


	3. New Developments

Author's note: Sorry this took so long *g* I had all my written stories gathered together, and then my cat found them and scattered them to the four winds. I've only just now put them all back in order.   
  
~Suki~  
  
She headed towards the mountain where Shishio had been vanquished, and easily spotted Sagara-san, sitting down next to him. After a few moments of silence she turned to address him,   
"Sagara-san," she said softly,   
"What troubles you?"   
  
He continued to stare blankly into the trees, and she clenched her hands on the material of her kimono, trying not to get frustrated.   
"Nothing."   
  
She sighed deeply, shifting a bit. Men could be so stubborn! And this one more so than most. Always walking around with his jacket, that bad symbol...he thought he was so tough, but she'd seen a softer side of him once before. She stood up,   
"Well," she said, bowing respectfully,   
"If you change your mind and need to talk you know where to find me."   
  
Still stiff with anger, she walked back to the Aoiya, finished the rest of her cleaning, and went to bed.   
  
~~~  
The next morning she woke up early as usual and woke everyone. After making breakfast and serving it, she began her daily cleaning routine. After washing the dishes she went to sweep the front porch, but stopped short.   
"Hiko-san." she murmured, bowing her head. She knew just enough about this strange man to give him the utmost respect. He had saved the Aoiya, Misao-dono had told her, and taught Himura-san all the Hiten Mitsurugi.   
  
Hiko-san was beyond formidable, he was just plain dangerous. The man himself, however, just laughed,   
"Much better than my idiot apprentice," he growled. There really wasn't any menace in his voice, of course, but he always came off a bit rough.   
  
Just like Sanosuke-san.   
  
She looked at him a moment, pausing at the thought of Sanosuke-san, then continued sweeping.   
"You're thinking about Sagara again, aren't you?"   
She heard Hiko-san once again address her. She slowly looked up, nodding, but afraid to speak. There was no telling what might set a man like him off.   
"Why do you worry about him so much?"   
he continued, looking slightly curious. She set her chin on the broom handle, regarding the man thoughtfully,   
"Well," she said softly, shrugging just a little bit,   
"Somebody has to, haven't they?"   
  
He merely laughed and she finished the sweeping, then went behind the Aoiya, pulling out a carefully wrapped parcel.   
  
She had stored them under the stairs that day when she'd vowed never to use them, but at this point she was too annoyed to bother questioning the breaking of her vow.   
  
Why wouldn't Sanosuke-san trust her?   
  
She pulled them out after quickly making sure no one was around. The hilts were plain, black, but the blade surely not Japanese. She could not even remember how she had first acquired them. The blades were thin, like a katana's, but gently curved. A scimitar, the blade's type was called. She couldn't help but grimace, upon gripping their hilts, but her determination wore through. She worked from form to form, her swords flowing like extensions of her body. A dance of sorts, it was.   
  
Upon turning, however, she glimpsed a figure entering her line of vision, and the scimitars clattered to the ground, herself grabbing the laundry.   
"I didn't know you were familiar with swordsmanship."   
Hiko-san again. If he didn't stop that she'd soon become paranoid. She shook her head,   
"I don't, Hiko-san," she protested. He looked at the scimitars, lying on the ground,   
"Where did these come from?"   
He accused.   
  
She glared down at them, staring as if surprised to see them,   
"Well, I don't know," she said softly, "I suppose I ought to put them up, though."   
Her voice was calmer than her mind or heart, because even as she bent to pick them up she felt her knees give way.   
  
Those cursed swords! Would they never leave her be? Why must they always weigh down on her so? She could feel the tears pressuring her jade eyes.   
"Something wrong, Suki?" Hiko-san's voice was almost soft. She nodded,   
"You're right about the swords. They're mine. I never use them anymore, though."   
  
She stared at the swords for a moment, then sighed and turned to face Hiko-san. 


End file.
